Source Filmmaker

Source Filmmaker is a tool for animating, editing, and rendering 3D animated videos using assets from most games which use the Source engine, such as sounds, models, and, backdrops. SFM also allows for the creation of still images, art, and posters.{{cite web |title=00 basics |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqcRoizrv3Q |access-date=16 March 2013 |work=YouTube | date=28 June 2012 |publisher=Valve}}

SFM contains three different user interfaces and a "work camera" for previewing an active scene. The three interfaces are used for creating clips, controlling animation, and making fine-tuned adjustments, which include:

• The Clip Editor; for recording, editing, and arranging shots.{{cite web |title=02 editing |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWx13d52HVo |access-date=16 March 2013 |work=YouTube | date=28 June 2012 |publisher=Valve}} They hold the user's recorded gameplay and virtual assets.{{cite web |title=01 recording |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjjyZ0g6I4g |access-date=16 March 2013 |work=YouTube | date=28 June 2012 |publisher=Valve}} It also allows the user to place and arrange sound files and video filters.{{cite web|title=03 sound|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9HYsoWD8C0|work=YouTube| date=28 June 2012 |publisher=Valve|access-date=16 March 2013}}
• The Motion Editor; for motion adjustments over time such as blending two animations. Users can also use motion presets to select paths and manipulate different scene objects,{{cite web|title=04 manipulating|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW9yO2naLjo|work=YouTube| date=28 June 2012 |publisher=Valve|access-date=16 March 2013}} play clips at different times,{{cite web|title=05 time selection|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5Aewi84KCA|work=YouTube| date=28 June 2012 |publisher=Valve|access-date=16 March 2013}} and puppeteer the characters in different positions and frames.{{cite web|title=07 puppeteering|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcYOq6bqK-M|work=YouTube| date=28 June 2012 |publisher=Valve|access-date=16 March 2013}}
• The Graph Editor; for editing motion{{cite web |title=06 graph editor |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9Z5mbmyftI |access-date=16 March 2013 |work=YouTube | date=28 June 2012 |publisher=Valve}} by creating keyframes that can be used for pose-to-pose animation.{{cite web |title=13.1 Pose To Pose Animation |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEz7TslI-fs |access-date=21 December 2012 |work=YouTube | date=3 October 2012 |publisher=Valve}}

Users can either create new projects or import data from Source-based games to extend their SFM animations. SFM also supports several cinematographic effects and techniques such as motion blur, Tyndall effects, dynamic lighting, and depth of field. Users can also rig 3D characters and can use inverse kinematics to manually animate movements.

SFM was developed internally at Valve in 2005 and most of it was based on the code from the in-game demo playback tool found in Source. SFM was used to make Day of Defeat: Source trailers with effects that could not be achieved in real-time.{{cite web|author=SFM Team|url=http://sourcefilmmaker.com/post.php?id=10679&p=1 |title=Day Of Defeat: Prelude To Victory|publisher=Valve |date=23 May 2013 |access-date=28 May 2013}} The tool was used extensively for certain promotional materials for the release of Team Fortress 2, particularly the Meet the Team trailers.{{Cite web |author=Valve |date=January 17, 2009 |title=Meet the Team - Team Fortress 2 YouTube playlist |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHgZh4GV9G0&list=PLHy7G7ndrUmpWqBkNKjJRT5urGiPW63Iq |website=YouTube}} This version of SFM, which ran using Source's in-game tools framework, was unintentionally leaked during the public beta of Team Fortress 2 in September 2007.{{Cite web|url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsw-J_vS-Dg|title = Source Film Maker Tutorial|date = 2 January 2010|access-date = 21 April 2015|website = YouTube}} By 2010, the entire interface was re-implemented using Qt 4 and given its engine branch for further development.

Before SFM was released to the public, Team Fortress 2 carried a simplified version of SFM known as the "Replay Editor", which was limited to capturing the actual events occurring throughout a player's life. It provided no ability to modify actions, repeat segments, or apply special effects beyond those already used in-game. However, arbitrary camera angles were possible, such as tracking the movements of other players in action at the time. The Replay Editor also allowed users to upload completed videos to YouTube.{{cite video game |title=Team Fortress 2|developer=Valve|date=9 October 2007|platform=Steam|version=1.2.3.3}}

On June 27, 2012, SFM became available on a limited basis through Steam, the same day the final Meet the Team video "Meet the Pyro" was released.{{cite web |date=25 January 2013 |title=Free Source Filmmaker brings Valve's 3D animation tools to the public |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/06/free-source-filmmaker-brings-valves-3d-animation-tools-to-the-public/ |access-date=27 June 2012 |publisher=Ars Technica}} The open beta for Windows was released {{as of|2012|07|11|lc=y|df=US}}.{{cite web |last=Daw |first=David |date=12 July 2012 |title=Trying Out Valve's Movie Making Tools With the Source Filmmaker |url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/259127/trying_out_valves_movie_making_tools_with_the_source_filmmaker.html |access-date=13 July 2012}}{{cite web |date=22 January 2013 |title=Happy New Year! (0.9.6.1 Released) |url=http://www.sourcefilmmaker.com/post.php?id=9795&p=1 |access-date=25 January 2013 |work=Source Filmmaker |publisher=Valve}} From 2011 to 2018, Valve operated a competition known as the Saxxy Awards for community-made SFM animations. {{Cite web |date=2018-03-15 |title=The Saxxy Awards |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/games/the-saxxy-awards |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=Rock Paper Shotgun |language=en}} Winners were awarded an in-game item in Team Fortress 2{{Cite web |title=Source Filmmaker |url=https://www.sourcefilmmaker.com/ |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=www.sourcefilmmaker.com}} called a Saxxy, which resembles an Oscar Statuette in the likeness of the Team Fortress 2 character Saxton Hale. The Saxxy can be used as a melee weapon, and is one of only three in-game items to possess the unique effect of turning enemy players into gold if killed by someone wielding one.{{Cite web |title=Saxxy - Official TF2 Wiki {{!}} Official Team Fortress Wiki |url=https://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Saxxy |access-date=2025-05-19 |website=wiki.teamfortress.com |language=en}}

On April 1, 2013, Valve implemented support for the Steam Workshop, which allows users to upload their custom-made assets onto the Steam community. These assets range from video game models and sound to animation project files.{{cite web|title=The SFM Gets Its Own Workshop!|author=SFM Team|url=http://www.sourcefilmmaker.com/post.php?id=10291|date=1 April 2013|work=Source Filmmaker|publisher=Valve|access-date=4 April 2013}}

A version of the software for Valve's Source 2 engine, known as Source 2 Filmmaker, was released on May 15, 2020, alongside other development tools for Half-Life: Alyx.{{Cite news |last=Clayton |first=Natalie |date=2020-05-16 |title=Half-Life: Alyx gets proper mod tools and Steam Workshop support |language=en |work=Rock, Paper, Shotgun |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/half-life-alyx-gets-proper-mod-tools-and-steam-workshop-support |access-date=2023-03-17}}

In February 2023, Facepunch announced they were producing their own successor to SFM due to compatibility issues with their own game platform, S&box.{{Cite web |title=Source Film Maker - News |url=https://sbox.facepunch.com/news/source-film-maker |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=sbox.facepunch.com |language=en}} S&box, like Half-Life: Alyx, runs on the Source 2 engine.

The Saxxy awards were given to a total of 33 winners, ranging from comedic or action shorts to extended short films across a variety of genres. Longer films produced with the software include Darkest Days, an hour-long jukebox musical based on Left 4 Dead 2, and Emesis Blue, a 108-minute psychological horror feature film based on Team Fortress 2.Goodman, Aileene-Bjork. [https://abacstallion.com/2023/11/07/emesis-blue-2023s-most-important-film/ "Emesis Blue: 2023’s Most Important Film"], the Stallion.Bumpus, Kayvon. [https://brightlightsfilm.com/mercs-and-mortality-emesis-blue-a-fan-made-team-fortress-2-horror-flick/ "Mercs and Mortality: Emesis Blue, a Fan-Made Team Fortress 2 Horror Flick"], Bright Lights Film Journal, 16 April 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.

{{Portal|Video games}}

• Saxxy Awards
• Machinima
• Garry's Mod
• Skibidi Toilet

{{Reflist|30em|refs=

{{cite web|title=Valve Tutorials|url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2B46DEB4157E67C4|work=YouTube|publisher=Valve|access-date=21 December 2012}}

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• {{official website|http://www.sourcefilmmaker.com}}
• [http://store.steampowered.com/app/1840 Steam Store page]
• [https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Source_Filmmaker Source Filmmaker in Valve Developer Community]

{{Valve}}

{{3D software}}

Category:2012 software

Category:3D animation software

Category:3D graphics software

Category:3D graphics software that uses Qt

Category:C++ software

Category:Machinima

Category:Proprietary software that uses Qt

Category:Python (programming language) software

Category:Source (game engine)

Category:Video game development software

Category:Windows-only freeware